We have the best team for twenty years according to Martin O'Neill so in my books, that must be good enough to get to the final and win it. Yes, I am playing, but I really think, if we can get past Blackburn tonight, we can win it.
But, that can be said for any club; anyone can win in a final and it comes down to who wants it more and in Martin O'Neill, he has a habit of winning the big games and the matches where teams come at us. In the final, whoever we play, they will come at us.
But, this isn't a match post as that will come later. This is about the news that we have to sell to buy this January and while you might think this a wonderful opportunity for me to have a little pop, but I really do believe it is a nothing thing.
Martin O'Neill, January 19th 2010
We are not looking at players at this minute because we have to sell. Do I have to sell to buy? We wouldn't be the only club in that position.
You see, all that has happened is the owner has told him that he has wasted money and that he has to recoup some of the money he has wasted and seeing as it was already given to him, he can still use it.
Now, this is just business. He has Marlon Harewood and Nick Shorey out on loan and he paid £8mn for those two and they probably earn £60k a week.
Add the £4mn we might get for Craig Gardner, the £5mn we could get for Nigel Reo-Coker and we have over £10mn to go out and buy and £100k a week we can pay in wages. Okay, we know it won't happen, but it's business.
Let's clear up one thing though; it isn't about risking the future of the club - that is spin, it is very much about Randy Lerner running Aston Villa as a standalone business. Now, if Lerner were to transfer the £73mn of debt that the club owes one of his other companies into equity in the club, much like Sheikh Mansour did with £305mn Manchester City owed him, it would mean that the club could then be debt free once again and there would be much more money potentially available.
Now, if Lerner did that, it would be quite impressive.
So, it's just a bit of news; it isn't positive news or maybe the type of news we want to be hearing but it is news. It is also worth noting that global markets are getting better and Lerner no doubt has a few quid invested, so maybe if he sold and bought at the right time, maybe we will get more than the TV money to spend this summer, if Martin O'Neill can trim the squad.
Match post coming later, with Twitter updates and team news and everything else but I'm not expecting anything special. In fact, I can see us going for a goal in the first half and if we don't get it, I can see us sitting back in the second and as long as it gets us to the final, I wouldn't mind and if it is 0-0 at half time, I hope we do it, because Blackburn will come at us and we are quite good on the counter.